The incredible life of Prince Philip, who just retired from public life at the age of 95

Hats off to Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, who has retired from the public eye at the age of 95.
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Buckingham Palace has just announced that Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip is retiring from public life at the age of 95.

From August this year, he will "no longer carry out public engagements" and "will not be accepting new invitations."

Philip has had quite the life in the public eye, so it's little wonder he has decided to put his feet up as he approaches his centenary on Earth.

From a career in the Royal Navy to his life standing by the side of wife Queen Elizabeth II and being a figurehead for organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), he has truly lived a full life.

Philip was educated at an American school in Paris, Cheam School in Hampshire, and Schule Schloss Salem in Germany. He also attended the public school of Gordonstoun in Elgin, Scotland, where he is pictured below.

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Prince Philip joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 after he left Gordonstoun.

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He was promoted to sub-lieutenant, then became the first lieutenant of the destroyer HMS Wallace in 1942, at the age of 21. He was promoted to commander in 1952, the same year he left the navy.

For the next few years, the couple lived in Malta, where Prince Philip was stationed with the Royal Navy. There, in 1949, they had their first son, Prince Charles. Princess Anne followed in 1950.

In this more candid image, they're pictured with Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Clarence House in August 1951.

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Aged 25, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth in 1953, directly following the death of her father, King George VI. At this point, Philip left the Navy.

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Still, he managed to maintain interests outside of his new royal duties. After qualifying as a pilot in 1953, Philip was the first member of the Royal family ever to fly out of Buckingham Palace Garden in a helicopter.

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Here, he controls a Boeing 757 airliner during a demonstration flight near Seattle.

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He has also maintained his military connections as Colonel, Grenadier Guards.

But he's certainly had some fun along the way. Philip is renowned for his cheeky, and sometimes offensive, sense of humour.

In 2002, he asked Aboriginal leader William Brin in Queenslad: "Do you still throw spears at each other?"

A year later, in a conversation with President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo, who was in national dress, Philip said: "You look like you're ready for bed!"

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But Philip also makes jokes at his own expense. On the day his retirement was announced, Sky News had footage of him sharing this laugh with one well-wisher.

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Philip is patron, president or a member of over 780 organisations. He founded the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh's Award youth programme, which gives young people opportunities for self-improvement. The scheme celebrated its 60th anniversary last year.

He became the UK president of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 1961, and international president from 1981 to 1996, when he retired. His grandsons Prince Harry and Prince William have also been involved with the organisation.